Ian & Jocelyn Barker

Following Paul’s demonstration of the kind of servant that they should follow, Timothy and Epaphroditus, he now warns them of the kind of “servant” that they should not follow. These so-called servants place their confidence in the fleshly efforts of man and seek to be justified through works. But Paul’s exhortation is that our righteousness comes from Christ who has died for us.

The people that Paul warns against are referred to as “dogs”, “evil workers”, and the “false circumcision”. The term “dogs” was used by Jesus to refer to those who oppose God’s truth (Matt. 7:6), and by the Jews as a name of contempt for the Gentiles (Matt. 15:26-27). Paul reverses the meaning of the name for the Jews and calls them the “dogs” because they were saying that Christians needed to be circumcised according to the Jewish Law before becoming a part of the church. “By trying to make Gentiles ‘clean’ through circumcision, the Judaizers are unclean ‘dogs’” (Constable 40). It was a “false circumcision” because they were viewing circumcision as a work that achieved justification.

In verse 3, Paul tells us that we are the “true circumcision” by evidence of three characteristics. First, we “worship in the Spirit of God”. This echos Jesus’ words to the woman by the well when He said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:24). We do not worship through regulations and sacrifices, but through the Spirit of God. Second, we “glory in Christ Jesus”. Our access to the Father and our mode of justification is through faith in Christ Jesus. And third, we “put no confidence in the flesh”. Our trust in Christ Jesus for justification and salvation means that we do not trust in ourselves and our own works.

Finally, in verses 4-6, Paul shows how he has tried to be perfect in the Law and achieve justification through his own works. He attempted it in his own strength, and it left him nowhere. We are to be warned against any kind of teaching that places an emphasis on salvation through works.